Teaching Philosophy
As a future teacher, I believe it is very important to offer a safe and pleasant environment. I remember, as a student myself, being scared of taking risks in the classroom. I feel that if students have a safe environment in which to learn, they will be more willing to take risks in the classroom. A teacher’s routine consists of more than the teaching act. A teacher is someone who can listen and assist his students in their learning process. I feel like it is very important to listen to your students, in order to show them that you care about them. Listening to the students’ needs is also a very good way for a teacher to get to know them better, in order to adapt the lesson plan and reach as many students as possible.
One of the reasons why I decided to become an English as a Second Language teacher is because I was inspired by one of my teachers back in the day. I always had a passion for the English language but seeing the passion in my teacher’s eyes made me realize that this is what I wanted to do as a career. I wish that as a teacher myself, I will be able to interest my students to a point where I’ll transmit my passion to them. In order to transmit this passion, it is important to know the students well and interest them in the subject-matter. It is important to adapt our teaching methods in order to reach as many students as possible.
Creating material is very important in order to teach the different knowledge prescribed in the QEP. In order to do so, it is important for a teacher to know the program in and out. Experience has a role to play in learning what’s in the program but training is also something that will allow a teacher to get to work better with the program. As a teacher, I plan on continuously staying up-to-date by going to different conventions, attending training, and always being on my toes when it comes to different cultural events. It is important to stay up-to-date with the different changes in the program, in order to give the best possible teaching to students.
I believe that the affective filter has a strong role to play in one’s learning. By being a dynamic teacher and creating material that interests students, I feel like they will be creating mental links easily. By doing so, students will be more competent in using the language. They will be able to reinvest what they have learned in everyday routines. Seeing something and practicing it is one thing, but being able to reinvest it in different situations is what really makes someone competent. As a future teacher, I hope to create strong emotional links which will help my students be competent in English.
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited. – Plutarch